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79 Medium Regiment (India)

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Artillery regiment of the Indian Army
79 Medium Regiment
Active1967 – present
CountryIndia India
AllegianceIndia
Branch Indian Army
Type Artillery
SizeRegiment
Motto(s)Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory).
Nishchey Shubh Karman Jeet (निश्चय शुभ कर्मन जीत),
ColorsRed & Navy Blue
EquipmentHaubits FH77
Insignia
Abbreviation79 Med Regt
Military unit

79 Medium Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

Formation

79 Medium Regiment was raised on 01 March 1967 at Belgaum under the command of Lieutenant Colonel CM Gupta, VSM. The manpower was drawn from three existing units – 24 Medium, 39 Medium and 92 Field Regiments.

79 Medium Regiment Golden Jubilee Celebrations, 1 March 2017

Class composition

The unit is a ‘Single Class’ regiment composed of Sikh gunners.

Equipment

The regiment was equipped with 130 mm guns in 1967, which it used till 1986. During its tenure in Jammu and Kashmir (1978 to 1981), the regiment used 5.5 inch howitzers. It was the first regiment of the Indian Army to be inducted with the Bofors FH77B guns and weapon systems.

Golden Jubilee - Special Cover issued by the Army Postal Service, March 2017

Operations

The regiment has taken part in the following operations –

  • Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: It participated in Operation Cactus Lily and was deployed in the western sector, providing artillery support to an Infantry Brigade and a Parachute Brigade.

Honours and awards

Personnel from the regiment have been awarded the following –

The regiment has to its credit the following achievements –

  • The regiment had the honour to participate in the Republic Day Parade in 1988 with its 155 mm guns.
  • Subedar (Honorary Captain) Baldev Singh represented the country in the 20 kilometres race walk in the Asian Games.
  • The regiment has produced the following general officers -
    • Brigadier NN Kharbanda – commanded the unit from May 1974 to November 1977.
    • Brigadier Deepak Sethi – commanded the unit from September 1987 to January 1990.
    • Lieutenant General KK Kohli AVSM, VSM – commanded the unit from January 1990 to June 1992, was GOC of 21 Mountain Division, Commandant of the Officers Training Academy, Chief of Staff of South Western Command.
    • Major General Ravi Harsh Vardhan – commanded the unit from April 1995 to September 1997, was GOC of 29 Infantry Division (Gurj division)
    • Lieutenant General Anil K Ahuja PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM – commanded the unit from September 1997 to June 2000. Was GOC IV Corps, Additional Director General - Military Operations and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy Planning and Force Development).
    • Major General JS Bedi, PVSM – commanded the unit from July 2000 to June 2003. He was the Colonel Commandant of Regiment of Artillery.

Motto

The motto of the regiment is Nishchey Shubh Karman Jeet (निश्चय शुभ कर्मन जीत), which loosely translates to ‘Determination and good deeds will ensure victory.’

See also

Notes

  1. 285 Medium Regiment was the first regiment to receive Bofors FH77B guns, which they later handed over to 218 Medium Regiment. 79 Medium Regiment became the first regiment to be equipped with the complete ‘weapon system’.

References

  1. ^ "79 Medium Regiment Golden Jubilee APO postal cover". 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  2. Subramaniam, Arjun (2020). Full Spectrum, India's Wars 1972-2020. HarperCollins India. ISBN 978-9353578053.
  3. "COAS Commendation Card 2017". 2017-01-15. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  4. "Sainik Samachar The Pictorial Weekly of the Armed Forces · Volume 35". Sainik Samachar. Ministry of Defence, India. 1988. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  5. "Deepak Sethi". Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  6. "Indian Army providing logistic support in airlifting injured". 2003-12-19. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  7. "Army Chief visits OTA". 2006-07-10. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  8. "NLUJAA workshop" (PDF). 2014-05-24. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  9. "Troops celebrate Gunners' Day". 2008-09-28. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  10. "Lt. Gen. Anil Ahuja". Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  11. "Lt Gen Ahuja takes over as GOC Gajraj Corps". 2013-08-20. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  12. "Gazette of India, No 44, page 2798" (PDF). 2018-11-03. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
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